Collapsible crate.



L. M. LEIBOWITZ..

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 12, 1999. RENEWBD APB. 15, 1910.

Patented May 24, 1910.l

LEON M. LEIBOWITZ', or

c'oLLAPsIBLE New YORK. N. `Y.

CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1910.

Application filed July 12, 1909, Serial No. 507.272. Renewed April 15. 1910. Serial No. 555.715.

T o all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Licox M. Lnmowrrz, a citizen of the United States. residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible tail description and the accompanying draw# ings, in which- Figure 1- is a perspective view of a crate in normal position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same crate collapsed; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 ofV Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional details substantially on the lines 5*:3 and t3-6, respectively', of Fig. t; Fig. 7 is a modified form of lock spring hereinafter described; Fig. S

is a face View of a thimble employed in connection With the lock, and Fig. 9 is a similar View of the plate in which said thimble is mounted for rotation.

Throughout the following description and on the several figures of the drawings simi- 4lar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

A crate constructed in accordance with this invention comprises preferably end members l0 and 1.1. a central partition 12, Side members 13 and 11, ya bottom 15, and a top 16. The side members V13 and 1l are hinged to the ends of thel end members and central partition in such a manner as to always remain parallel to each other in all positions of the crate.

Any convenient number of pairs of hinges 17 may be employed for connecting the above parts, it being understood that while only one hinge 1S shown at each joint, two or more may be employed if desired, and the hinges may be of any suitable construction.

By referring to. Figs. 2 and 3 the folding operation may be understood. The members 10 and 12 are adapted to swing in the direc- 'member with which it is used.

tion of the dotted arcs and lie substantially against the inner face of the side wall 13. The member 11 swings also in the same direction aud is extended beyond the end of said side wall 13. Similarly the wall 1-1 at the same time will be brought into position to be engaged by the members 11 and l2.

The crate is held in its normal or open position by a p'eculiar locking means coperating with the topfaud bottom members and the end members. The top 11' is connected by a pair of hinges, 18 to the sidewall 11, and when in normal position said top rests upon tht` upper edges of the side and end members. The bottom 15 is substantially a counterpart of the top, and is connected vb v hinges 1f) to thc sidewall 13 preferably to that edge of the crate diagonally opposite the hinges' 1h so that the top and bottom members swing in opposite. directions. Each of said top and bottom members swings `through an angle of 2T() degrees against the side member to which it is hinged during the collapsing operation.

The locking means above referred to comprises sets of bolts 2t), cach of which passes through the end edge,` of the top or bottom, as the case may be, and into a hole or socket 21 in the end member adjacent thereto. The bolt 2() is provided with a beveled t'acc Q2 and one or more notches 23. The end member is provided on its inner wall, just opposite the socket 21, with a catch 21 connected to a spring '25 whereby the catch 24 will be caused to engage any one or more of said notches 9.3. lVhen the crate is in the position indicated in Fig. 1 the bolts will be passed through the top and bottom members as above stated and their inner ends will be locked in the several sockets 21, substantially in the manner indicated in Fig. t. 'lhc ends of the members 15 and 1t? arc'preitaably reinforced by sheet metal straps 26, through which the bolts pass. The beveled ends 2l of thc bolts when the latter are inserted push the catches 9.4 inwardly against the tension of the springs so that no special means may be retpiired to 'ause the bolts to become locked. Each of the bolts 2() is provided with a hook 20 which extends inwardly toward the center of the crate and thence downwardly through the top or bottom The point 2( of the hook extends preferably through said top or bottom member. By this construction of the hook the operator always knows which is the side of the bolt that will coperate with the catch, and also the point of the hook provides a better interlocking between the`bolt and the crate when in normal position.

In order to release .the bolt, the spring 25 is adapted to be pushed inwardly to withdraw the catch 24 from the bolt, by means ot' a pin carried by the operator and inserted into a hole 27 bored transversely through the end member. The said pin ortool may be engaged directly a ainst spring 25, or the latter may be provided with a stud 2S which normally projects into the hole 27, and hence insuring proper cooperation between the spring and the bolt.

lVhen the crate is in collapsed position the same bolts coperate with the several parts to maintain the saine in said position. The bolts in this position coperate in the several sockets and with the catches '24 substantially the same as in the rst mentioned, although the bolts may enter the sockets 21 to a greater extent so that the points 20 of the hooks Will engage over the edges of the parts folded against the end members. The bolts are released from this position in the same manner as above set forth.

As indicated in Figs. 5, 8, and 9 a plug 28a may be introduced into the hole 9.7, said plug being provided with a. key-slot '28. Also a plate. 29 may be secured to the outer wall of the end member and having a thimble 30 provided with a key-slot 30 of the same configuration as the slot 28. VThe thiinble is mounted in the plate 29 for rotation and when a key is introduced intothe thimble the latter must be rotated so as to esame bring the two slots into alinement in order that the key may pass through and depress the stud 28.

As indicated in Fig. 7 the spring 25 may be double ended having catches 24 at both ends. In this instance a plurality of bolts 20 would be provided for cooperation with one spring. That is to say, there may be four bolts instead of two employed in connection with either the top or bottom of the crate.

Having thus set forth the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new is A The hereindescribed collapsible crate cornprising a pair of end members having sockets in their upper and lower edges, a pair of side members hinged to the end members and ioldable against the inner faces thereof, respectively, top and bottom members hinged to the side members and oldable thereagainst, said top and bottom members having holes in alinement with said sockets when the crate is in normal posi-v tion, and sets of detachable locking bolts adapted to pass through said holes into said sockets to lock the crate in open position, said bolts being adapted to be seated in the same said sockets when the crate is folded and having hooked outer ends spanning the outer edges of the top, bottom, and side members, as specified.

In testimony whereofl I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEON M. LEIBOWITZ. lVitnesses:

DAVID GERSTNER, Monms GERSTNER. 

